Kensai Barbard?

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milosr
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:08 pm

Kensai Barbard?

Post by milosr » Wed Oct 04, 2017 6:11 pm

Just a curious idea that popped into my head...

According to the wiki, Kensais can now be bards...meaning 30 spellcraft, meaning +6vs spells on top of existing +6. On top of that we have bard song, which grants +2saves/AB/DMG and +5AC.

So lets take a barbarian for example...
We take the usual barb starting stats, negative charisma naturally...basically its a typical barbarian character with 16 bard levels.

You end up being a Barb with same AB(Bard song AB bonus makes up for the bard dip), +5AC, +8 saves vs spells on top of kensai and barb bonuses and 2DMG.
So...Barb will have, godlike Will saves, and all other saves will likewise be silly. Making him technically a paladin version of Barb, where saves are concerned.
The character will have...decent-ish health.
It will still benefit from +2AC/AB from barb levels.
Oh and a curse song, on top of all that.

The only downside that I am currently seeing is that the barb won't be able to take epic rage feats?

So can someone please pick this apart and tell me what I'm doing wrong here?

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Lorkas
Posts: 3903
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 3:14 pm

Re: Kensai Barbard?

Post by Lorkas » Wed Oct 04, 2017 6:24 pm

It'll have 5 lower damage per swing than a typical barbarian build (3 more due to bard song, but 2 less due to lost rage damage, and 6 less due to no EWS), but it gives AB/AC/damage/saves to the party, 16 or 20 times per day. It will be fun in PvM and RP, but I don't expect it to overpower the server, and certainly not PvP.

Note that the 5 AC is far better for your party than it is for your barbarian. The 5 AC is just going to bring your barb up to what a typical fighter/rogue/WM is going to have out of IE mode, and you'll deal less damage than the F/R/WM since you aren't leaning into the strengths of the barbarian to maximize damage.

I'm not 100% sure, but how much use do level 16 bards get out of their curse song? It seems to me like you'd quickly run out if you're using bard song and curse song for every encounter.

milosr
Posts: 125
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:08 pm

Re: Kensai Barbard?

Post by milosr » Wed Oct 04, 2017 6:34 pm

Hmmm I think you are right...I was under the delusion that you could take lasting inspiration without having 20+ bard levels. Bummer...

Aww well, to the bin it goes.

Cheers bud!

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